The Scarlethttps://milfordscarlet.com
The Student News Site of Milford High SchoolWed, 20 Jun 2018 23:37:27 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8Senior Farewells 2018https://milfordscarlet.com/1111/features/senior-farewells-2018/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1111/features/senior-farewells-2018/#respondFri, 25 May 2018 15:27:45 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1111Being a part of Newspaper has been a very distinctive aspect of high school for me. I walked into A-54 one Thursday morning for the first meeting of my freshman year, and just walked out of my last after four years. I’m glad to have watched The Scarlet change over the years; its move on to an online platform and the addition of The Hawks Tail. I’m also grateful for the three years of being editor and getting to read everyone’s stories and seeing their talents. And of course, it has been a pleasure having Mr. Caz as an adviser all this time. I’m sad to say goodbye to our trademark Thursday morning meetings but am excited to see where The Scarlet will go next. Good luck to the staff members and leadership to come!

– Lamisa Sheikh

At the beginning of my Sophomore year, joining Newspaper wasn’t even a thought of mine until I saw all my friends joining. Though mob mentality is often a bad thing, it seems that I’ve found the one exception to the rule. Throughout my four years at MHS, my decision to join newspaper will stand out to be one of my better ones, as this small part of my life for the past three years will be something that I will remember fondly. With the being said, best of luck to the remaining staff for the years to come

– Julianne Lesch

I had a wonderful time in Newspaper. I’m glad that I joined. Goodbye.

– Michael Parke

]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1111/features/senior-farewells-2018/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Thirteenhttps://milfordscarlet.com/1105/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-thirteen/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1105/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-thirteen/#respondWed, 09 May 2018 13:31:34 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1105The sand people started walking Ozier and Tabia to their camp. His mother was speechless on the way there. Ozier didn’t ask any questions but began to conspire with Tabia in secrecy. Some of the sand people started to whisper amongst each other as well. Attempting to legitimize her claim of kinship with Ozier.

Upon arrival, Ozier and Tabia noticed that the architecture of the tents. They were decorated with skulls of various animals, including man. The tents circled around a large ditch. Which was their main means of cooking their food when lit. All of the tents were meant for sleeping expect one. The last tent was meant to butcher beasts to prepare food for the primitive tribe of sand people.

Night had fallen and the ditch was lit with twigs and leaves. They cooked their kill that another group hunted. Every tribesman and tribeswoman had a large piece of leather on their laps. When the butcher came around he placed a piece of cooked meat proportionate to their weight onto the leather.

The tribesmen began eating. A breath wasted was a waste of time for the sand people. Each second was spent chewing and biting their way to the bone. Tabia and Ozier chose not to partake in the feast. Ozier’s mother sat down next to him.

“My name is Anta. You don’t know me because Kha’em wanted me dead. Akela informed me the night before so I fled and met the Sand Beetle tribe,” she said, “that’s the short version, if you want me to tell you the whole story I’ll gladly do so.”

“Yea, I’d like to know some answers,” Ozier said.

“Well it started when I was Kha’em’s wife. I had lost interest in him when the politics he concerned himself with took the attention away from me,” she began smiling slightly, “That’s when I met Akela, a new servant in the court. The time I’d spend with Kha’em I would spend with Akela. Over some time we fell in love,” she sighed heavily, “Then one day, I had an affair with her and Kha’em walked in.”

“And then he sentenced you to death,” Tabia said barging into the conversation.

“Exactly. But before I was killed I was sent to the dungeon for torturing. From there, Akela freed me and escorted me to the ruins you two came from, and there was this priest waiting. We wedded on that wonderful night. But she went back and that dog took her and ‘claimed her as any Aczen claims new territory.”

“And how did you end up here and not Egypt?” Ozier questioned.

“Egypt is not the best place to be at the time. Not to mention it’s across this ocean of sand, which mind you takes an entire season to journey embark across,” Anta said.

“So were we ever going to Egypt?” Tabia asked.

“No. The plan to reunite,” Anta said.

“No after plan?” Ozier said.

“Listen, Nizam. We didn’t know we would make it this far, not to mention we not everyone made it. The other emperors were on our tail.”

“Nizam?” Ozier questioned.

“Your birth name. Did your father ever tell you?” Anta queried.

“I never asked really, but I think I like Ozier better.” he said.

“Where’d you get that name?” she asked.

“Tabia gave it to me,” he said.

“Yea, that was a while back huh, it’s fascinating thinking about time and how it flies at an unimaginable rate,” Tabia said.

“Don’t even remind me. I’ve been waiting here in this hell hole for years just to see Akela and you again, Ozier,” Anta whispered, “I’ve waited years for this, and now that you’re here I still feel empty. Granted Akela is dead, I am okay with that, I just… I don’t know how to explain myself.”

“It’s alright, don’t worry about it,” Ozier said.

The sand people began doing a tribal dance around the fire. Some started playing makeshift instruments. Musical chanting echoed in the night and the fire glowed like the sun. The cold temperatures of the desert were unforgiving to those who chose to sleep instead of participating in the tribal dance around the fire pit. Ozier, Tabia, and Anta danced the night away with the Tribesmen and Tribeswomen. Smiles on Ozier’s and Tabia’s face brought tears of joy to Anta. She snuck away from the dance unnoticed.

After the dance was over, Anta came out of her tent and took Tabia and Ozier in. They tried to sleep, exhausted, and in an uncomfortable position they complain through the night. The beds were carved out of flat rock formations. Blankets were not offered and headrests weren’t even considered.

“Mother,” Ozier said looking up at the ceiling of the tent.

“Yes?” she said waking up.

“What happens now?” he said.

“Well, I believe you should go to Egypt,” she said, “For the sake my mentality please, please go to Egypt with Tabia.”

“But what will you do?” Ozier asked.

“Die! Grow old!” She chuckled happily.

“But all those years, why can’t we make it up?” Ozier began to cry slightly unnoticed.

“You want me to spend time with you here?” Anta said.

“No, no, no. We go to Egypt,” Ozier said.

“Not going to happen. Nizam, I mean Ozier. Listen I, I just can’t be with you, it wouldn’t feel right,” Anta said, “Seeing that Akela is gone, and you having Tabia. I, I, I don’t know Ozier. I just don’t.”

“You’re not giving me a solid reason as to why you can’t come with us to Egypt,” Ozier said aggressively, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

“Alright, alright. I am kept as a slave to these primitive people. But I don’t want you to kill them,” Anta said sobbing, “There are family to me, you must understand.”

“Family? Are you out of your mind?” Ozier woke up Tabia.

“For seventeen unforgiving years, I’ve been here, earning their respect, and learning their culture,” Anta said, “On the eighteenth year, I started experiencing the love these people have for me. I am one of them, and if you can’t accept that as an answer I suppose there is nothing that can convince you.”

“Then I suppose I’ll stay,” Ozier said.

“Disappointing. Just, disappointing,” Anta said.

“Why is that?” Ozier questioned frustratedly.

“It’s disappointing because I don’t want to see you and your woman start a family with these savages.”

“But mother, the time we must spend together. Doesn’t that matter to you?” Ozier questioned in sad tone of voice.

“All the time you’ve spent growing up in the palace, gone. All the time you’ve spent playing childish games with the nobel’s children, gone. All the time you’ve spent training to be a general, gone. And the time I would’ve spent with you, gone. And it’s impossible to remember that, you were merely an infant,” Anta said.

“How did you know that I was doing all that?” Ozier queried, “I didn’t even know I did that.”

“Akela told me, she sent a courier every now and then. But that’s besides the point Ozier, go spend the time that you have now, the time you can remember for the rest of your life in Egypt. In Egypt with that girl of yours,” Anta said crying obsessively, “I’ll miss you but I just, want you to have a better life. And I can’t leave, they’ll hunt me down and bring me back. Or worse, kill me.”

“Mother, I want to you to come with us,” Ozier said persistently.

“Son. My boy. I will not,” Anta said wiping the tears from her face and sitting up, “I will take my own life if you are here in the morning.”

“Mother no, you can’t,” Ozier sat up from his rock bed, “I can protect you, I. I can to do the impossible to keep you safe.”

“Go now, and never come back. I mean it,” Anta said in a straight tone of voice, still sniffing away the congestion.

Ozier grabbed Tabia by the arm and practically dragged her out of the tent like a ragdoll. He let go and stood looking at the fire. He began tearing up more. Tabia got up from the ground and wiped the sand off of her clothes. Hugging Ozier from behind made his body less tense. He looked down with his eyes closed, tears hitting the dry sand, and emotions coursing through his body.

The sun began rising on the edge of the horizon. Ozier looked back and saw nothing but sand and the footprints from the camels. Tabia led with her camel and Ozier sat on his moping his way to Egypt. Their camels started to climb an incline on a large sand dune. Suddenly they saw a glistening river that seemed to stretch for miles. Deciding to follow the river north Tabia and Ozier encountered the kingdom of Egypt. There they started their new lives together.

]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1105/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-thirteen/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Twelvehttps://milfordscarlet.com/1102/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-twelve/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1102/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-twelve/#respondWed, 09 May 2018 13:23:57 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1102The night was full of screams. The horrors of consistent warfare was traumatizing to the Aczen soldiers guarding the walls. Men on the opposing forces grew a bad moral every hour spent attempting to climb the wall. Countless soldiers opposing Aczen were attempting to barge their way through the front gates of Kade. The Oasis was still burning away at ease putting everyone’s mind in an everlasting state of fear. Their grudge they have with one another misplaced their judgement of current events. Dead bodies were tossed away in the lake and as a result the water started becoming undrinkable.

At the palace, Kha’em and Akela were packing their things. Their gold coins took up several bags. Food and water came second to their essential list of things. Tabia and Ozier had a short wedding ceremony in the royal worship room. After, they met Kha’em and Akela in the bowels of the palace. They stood in front of an old stone doorway.

“Alright, this is the path to the ruins outside the city.” Kha’em said.

“There we’ll meet a priest, I have contacted him to prepare several camels for us,” Akela explained, “then we’ll make our way to east to Egypt. Which shouldn’t take long at all.”

“And son. I know have some explaining to do on the way to the ruins. So if you have any questions, ask away.” Kha’em said.

They began walking. The tunnel became smaller and harder to breathe in. Ozier asked many questions as to why he was to be orphaned away. Kha’em responded with complex political explanations. Tabia and Akela walked together silently. Then Akela grabbed her in closer and began to whisper.

“Listen, when we get to the end of the tunnel we draw arms. There is an ambush waiting for Kha’em. Ozier must not know of this, can’t have any loose ends,” she murmured.

Tabia nodded and they both continued to walk down the tunnel with everyone else. Suddenly there was a torch light toward the end of the tunnel. Kha’em pointed in excitement. He ran toward the light like an innocent child. There he disappeared from the sight of everyone else. Ozier chuckled at the thought of his father running. Then screams of terror.

“Father?!” Ozier wailed.

Ozier, Tabia, and Akela ran to the torch light at the end of the tunnel. They emerge from the tunnel and onto the surface. There stood three of the emperors of the oasis and below them laid Kha’em, the fourth. His stomach had a stab wound. As he squirms on the ground Akela approaches the emperors.

“Just as planned gentlemen. Great work,” she said walking forward greeting the emperors.

Tabia drew arms and escorted Ozier to the edge of the ruins. Eopeii’s, Ngozi’s, and Aufaa’s men chased after them. There was a man with four camels at the end of the ruins. Beyond him a sea of sand. The man seemed very confused, drawing his a sword from a holster hidden underneath his robe as they came closer.

“Where is Akela? What’s happening?” He stood in a defensive stance, ready to strike.

“Akela has been stabbed, her last words were to meet you here.” Ozier said in quick succession.

“Damn, looks like the deal went sour. Well take the camels and head toward the sunrise, I’ll stay behind and take care of your approaching problem,” the man said whilst soldiers sprinted with relentlessly speed, “Divines take me now!”

The man ran into the fray. Tabia and Ozier got onto a camel and traveled toward the rising sun. Its light overcame the shadows the dunes. The soldiers gave up several minutes into the chase before turning back to the ruins. Hours pass like seconds. They both reflect to themselves as to what happened, attempting to put the pieces together. An awkward atmosphere sunk in, the temperature rose, and the sun’s oppressive light made the trip unbearable.

Ozier reached into one of the satchels for water. Not finding any bota bag he searched the next satchel. Then began a frantic search for a bota bag. Satchel after empty satchel. A sudden realization became apparent; a seemingly endless journey in an infinite desert. Tabia asked Ozier what was wrong.

“We ran out of water!” Ozier was freaking out, “How are we going to make this journey?!”

“You need to relax. I didn’t drink anything. I’m as thirsty as you are Ozier,” she said.

“Then why were you yapping about us deserving this?” He asked.

“Perhaps there is a divine being watching above us,” she said, “and perhaps it has decided we are to join it.”

“You’ve gone mad…” He said, “By my royal blood, you have desert madness.”

Ozier got off and ran pass the camel tripping, rolling, and screaming his way east. Tabia chased on camel after him, yelling at him about the divine being.

Then a human figure rose from the sand in front of Ozier. He stopped running and stood scared. It wore a cloak, wielded a long spear, which was pointed at Ozier, and a mask made out of some sort of wood. Suddenly more human figures rose. As the gains sand fell off their bodies it became clear to Ozier that this was no mere mirage. Tabia, on her camel, stopped twenty feet behind Ozier.

“Ozier, come back to me,” She said cautiously.

He backs up slowly. The other cloak wearing, spear wielding people expressed curiosity through their masks by quilting their heads slightly. Silence was as loud as thunder. The wind occasionally broke that silence. What scared everyone was an outburst from one of the mask people.

“Hold it!” she yelled, “I know that man… My boy! He has returned!”

Tabia’s jaw dropped. Ozier.

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]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1102/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-twelve/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Elevenhttps://milfordscarlet.com/1099/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-eleven/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1099/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-eleven/#respondWed, 09 May 2018 13:13:03 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1099The city of Kade was on lockdown. It has been a week ever since that fateful night, when the Idma savages attacked. The Fidu and Iasbaha joined the Idma and have surrounded Kade. They gave Aczen three days to surrender. Aczen is overdue on their surrender. The sun shined oppressively during the day. The opposing empires attempted their invasion during the night which gave Aczen time to repair and install new defenses during the day.

The Citizens were put to work. Kha’em gave daily propaganda speeches. Saying that if you surrender you’d be put into slave work and starved to death. He gave out a plentiful amount of food to his people. As his final good deed in the end times of the empire.

The Oasis caught on fire, spreading uncontrollably. A cloud of smoke covered the sun from the east in the mornings. Without any reflection from the sun, the water looked like black tar. The crops from all the empires were burning an endless flame. It is only a matter of time before the Oasis came to an end.

There was a smell of fire in the breeze that flew into the house. It was noon, and the citizens were told to stay indoors. Sweat covered their bodies, as if they went for a swim in the lake. The citizens that owned the home died in the streets because of heat exhaustion. Their only child lives in the same house under the care of Tabia and Ozier.

“Ozier, you need to relax. We’re gonna make it. Try and get some rest,” Tabia said.

“In this heat. Impossible,” he uttered in an impatient tone, “And I can’t relax. We have to take care of some infant whilst we’re on the run.”

“We’ll just improvise and maybe everything will be alright,” She expressed optimistically.

“Yea whatever,” he responded.

The infant cried from upstairs. Tabia went up to check up on him. The light blankets on its cradle was soaked in its sweat. She picked him up and held him in her arms. Tabia walked back down stairs and sat in an old rocking chair. The infant calmed itself and remained silent.

“He’ll be dead by tomorrow morning Tabia. Just give him to the neighbors next door. They seem to know how to take care of it,” Ozier said.

“Don’t just call him it.” she stated strongly.

“Give it a name then, like you did with me,” he said.

“Well I’m not that creative,” she responded.

“Damn the infant. We should give it to those neighbors,” Ozier became frustrated, “We can not take care of a child Tabia. We have too much on our hands at the moment.”

“Like what? A couple of guards? We can definitely take them on,” she said.

“If you don’t hand that child to the neighbors before sunset I will,” Ozier said.

And so Tabia did just that. She gave away the child she promised to keep safe. Unfortunately, Tabia and Ozier had to depart from their current house and hide somewhere else. Sunset started and with it search parties. Aczen soldiers dedicated to finding the traitorous general and her accessory stormed through every building. Searching in all of the possible hiding spots. In cellars, attics, behind furniture, and under floor boards. Tabia and Ozier switched houses every so often to lose any traces of themselves.

Walls were being climbed by the opposing empires. Aczen guards, using spears, jabbed them as they came to the top. The fire at dusk glowed like stars in the night sky. The Oasis is coming to an end. Everyone knew it in their heads. But this grudge in their guts, toil with their intellectual guidance. If the Oasis of Infinity is going to die then they would take anyone along with it. Kha’em escorted by his top warriors, start their own search party. Roaming the streets they encounter Tabia and Ozier stealthily hiding in plain citizen outfits. Tabia lifted her hood from over her head, dropped her cloak, and drew arms against the search party.

“Ozier, my son. You must come with me!” Kha’em pleaded, “You can bring the wench with you if you must but, you must come along!”

“Father. I can not. You tried to rid of me. I am no longer your son.” Ozier said.

“Do not listen to these traitorous words Ozier. Your father is no longer your father!”

“Whore! Lier! How dare you!” Kha’em was outraged, “Listen we shall escape together, give me some time to explain. Please! You must!” Kha’em got on his knees, “Trust me this one time. We will escape together and head east for this new place. Near a large river where crops grow fuller, and taste amazing. I think they call their kingdom Egypt.”

“I, I. I don’t know what to say. But You can assure me, she comes along with me?” Ozier asked.

“Yes, yes. Of course, she may come along with us,” Kha’em declared hopelessly.

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]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1099/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-eleven/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Tenhttps://milfordscarlet.com/1095/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-ten/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1095/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-ten/#respondWed, 09 May 2018 13:02:24 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1095Kha’em was interrogating Ozier. He sat by his cell innocently unable to answer any of Kha’em’s questions.

“Your past Ozier, attempt to remember?” Kha’em said.

“I don’t know anything sir, I am sorry,” Ozier said.

“So be it,” Kha’em said.

“Will my death quick and painless?” Ozier asked.

“Yes, of course son,” Only seconds after did Kha’em notice what he said.

“Excuse me?” Ozier said.

“I was speaking to the sun Idma spy,” Kha’em said.

“What is the sun saying?” Ozier became oddly suspicious.

“You are lucky that this cell of yours keeps me out. I’d kill you right now for thinking that I am insane,” Kha’em said.

“You are acting rather strange emperor,” Ozier said.

Tabia approached silently behind Kha’em and saluted. Her armor clanging together made Kha’em startled. She glanced at Ozier whilst Kha’em got up from his knee.

“And why is my general here and not at in the front lines of the Northwestern districts?” Kha’em questioned.

“I ask for the release of this prisoner,” she said.

“Your reasoning?” He questioned again.

Tabia drew her sword and placed the tip on his neck. Kha’em shook slightly before smirking sinisterly at Tabia. Suddenly a grunt from behind led Tabia to turn swiftly and slash directly where her back was. The watchmen of the dungeon bled from his stomach. He fell like a tree that was cut down. Kha’em snuck up behind Tabia and drew a small dagger to her throat.

“Did you really think you’d get a chance to kill me? Emperor of Aczen! Ha!” He laughed.

“Damn you!” Tabia yelled.

Ozier grabbed a rock that he chipped off the wall hours ago. Pushing it through the cell bars and grabbing it with both hands he smashed it behind Kha’em’s head.

“Oh my… You did it!” Tabia yelled in excitement.

“Yea! Let’s get out of here before he wakes up,” Ozier said.

“I doubt he’ll wake up but we shall see soon,” Tabia said searched the watchmen’s corpse, “Ah the keys.”

Tabia and Ozier ran up a level and out the back of the palace. Nightfall shielded them from anyone else’s vision. Through the barracks they stole a camel and rode to the main path to arrive to the Northwestern districts. Looking back at the bridge to the palace they see a fire.

“It appears there’s a soldier being mobbed,” Ozier said.

“Oh my,” Tabia said.

“We must help somehow,” he said.

“No. There is nothing we can do,” she said.

“Do you know that man?” he asked.

“I can’t really see,” she said.

She pulled on the leads of the camel and it began walking down the path to the Northwestern districts. Ozier with his head turned back dropped his jaw when he saw the soldier get consumed by the flames.

“To whatever god there is, bless your soul,” he said.

“The religious type?” she asked.

“No, I said that just in case he was religious.” he said.

“I understand,” she said.

Suddenly the ground began to rumble. Aczen soldiers, rode camels and ran on foot relentlessly toward Kade. And with them a large cloud of sand dust. Tabia and Ozier’s vision became limited to several feet in front of them for short moments. They cover their faces with a cloth wrappings, leaving their eyes covered by a see-through strip of cloth.

“Where am I? Hello!?” a man yelled passing Ozier and Tabia’s camel.

“Sir, wait? Sergeant Sudi! What’s happening?” Tabia asked.

“The Idma. They attacked. The farm lands are burning in an inferno, men killed in combat, villagers were killed for sport, and the remaining forces fleeing to Kade.”

“How many fleeing?” she asked.

“Seven cells, maybe ten cells ma’am and we’re being followed by Idman savages,” he said in a frightened tone of voice, “And a majority of the men are blinded by the sands or injured. They are survivors not soldiers anymore.”

“Damn it. Alright, give me your hand Sudi,” she said.

Tabia tied his left wrist to a rope. Holding onto it, Tabia and Ozier turn the camel around, and headed for Kade. Sergeant Sudi walked on the right side of the camel. This uniform was covered in sand. He kept wiping his eyes only to get them drenched in sand by the large stampede of soldiers.

“Sudi you will survive to see another day don’t you worry,” Tabia yelled as she yanked on the camel leads.

Suddenly yelling from behind and more thundering rumbling made everyone running for their lives fear death even more.

“The savages, they’re behind us,” Sudi screamed in terror.

“We can make it back to Kade it’s only a short distance away,” she yelled.

“No, I am only holding you back. Sorry,” he said.

“What?” She was confused.

Before Tabia knew it, Sergeant Sudi cut the rope wrapped around his left wrist with his dagger.

“Go on without me!” Sudi yelled as drew his sword in his other hand and blindly ran into the fray.

“You’re either that brave Sudi, or a fool,” Tabia said under her breath as she yanked the leads on the camel.

Soldiers began to close the gates. Tabia Shouted to keep them open and amongst the chaos they did not hear her irrelevant voice. There was a narrow pass in between the gates and she took the opportunity to ride through. Tabia and Ozier made it in time. They took refuge in one of the homes.

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]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1095/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-ten/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Ninehttps://milfordscarlet.com/1087/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-nine/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1087/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-nine/#respondMon, 07 May 2018 16:36:05 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1087Raad was getting dressed whilst she laid in bed covered in blankets. The room was dimly lit. Smoke acted like fog, there was barely any visibility. The shades covered the light from the depleting sun.

“When will I see you again, general?” she said flirtatiously.

“Never. Possibly in the afterlife, but even that’s a stretch of the mortal imagination,” Raad said.

“A believer in the false religion, general?” she said.

“Excuse me? How dare you,” Raad said, “I should execute you where you stand?”

“I wouldn’t if I were you,” she said.

“And why is that?” He said.

“Because I have a few friends waiting outside this inn, as a matter of fact outside that door,” she said sinisterly.

“Iasbaha, you were getting to that I hope. I know we are not in the most prestine condition at the moment, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get things done,” she said.

“I see… So you want to know about the out plans in the western and southern districts,” he said.

“Exactly. Also I want to know what the hell is going on in that palace,” she said.

“What did you hear?” he asked.

“Just that Kha’em’s new wife is apart of something bigger that all the emperors of this great Oasis,” she said.

“I don’t have any information on that, but that does intrigue me,” he said, “Well as of the things I do know-”

Suddenly two Aczen soldiers and a marksman barged through the door. The marksman drew his bow and shot an arrow through the spy’s rib cage. The two soldiers saluted Raad.

“Sir! News broke. It appears General Zahra’s men killed Aufaa’s first born child,” the soldier said shivering.

“What else happened?” Raad asked.

“The Iasbaha and Fidu broke through our defenses in the southwestern districts and are being pillaged as we speak. Our men are defending it as much they can. The citizens are fleeing and making their way to Kade sir, it will only take a two to three hours before we have to take them in,” the other soldier said.

“Alright, make barricades, tell every cell this is lunar protocol,” Raad.

“Sir, yes, sir!” The soldiers and the marksman left in a rush.

Raad sat on the bed put on his leather boots and laced the metal shin and toe brace tightly. He stood up turned to the spy. The bed was soaked in her blood. The spy still had some life left in her. She reached out to Raad with her shaking arm.

“In the afterlife gorgeous”, she said winking. Raad ran out the inn, and untied lead rope of his camel from the post. He sat on it whilst it laying down. Kicking his camel, it reacts quickly, lifting Raad up. He rides swiftly to the palace.

There was a sea of people in front of crescent path going until the entrance of the bridge. The moon was rising in the east, yelling echoed in Aczen from Kade, and the guards cowardly built a barricade made of the emperor’s furniture. As the guards began to set the furniture on fire Raad got off his camel and pushed through the dense crowd. By the time he made it to the bridge the crowd noticed that Raad was a general.

“Relax yourselves, please. We can’t have this!” Raad yelled.

They all began to attack Raad. Stripping him of his clothes, a few stabbing and slashing him with sharp objects, and kicking him in his ribs. Two men grab Raad’s corpse. One grabbed him by his hands the other by his feet. They began swinging him in the air. He flew into the flame elegantly. The screams of pain were louder than crowd’s protest. Raad rolled in a panic fashion to the other side of the barricade. He got up onto his feet and began limping slowly before falling to the ground once again.

Soldiers quickly rush over with buckets of water. They put out the fire on Raad’s body. The sound of sizzling evaporation filled the silence on the other side of the barricade. Two men grab him by his hands and feet. And escorted him inside the palace. Raad woke up from an unconscious state of mind. He was in a medic bay being treated for his burns. Aczen’s finest aids were pouring the coldest water they had on him. All but the upper right side of his body had third degree burns.

“Tell me,” I took a deep breath for every sentence he spoke, “Am I. Going to be. Okay.”

Nobody answered. Raad repeated himself several times until one of the aids broke their silence.

Silent murmuring amongst the aids made Raad uncomfortable. He attempted to get up and try to walk. Raad went unnoticed for the first few steps before falling to the sandstone floor and making a gushing sound. The aids helped him up and placed him on the medic table.

“I can still. Walk. I can,” Raad gasped for air, “I swear I can.”

“Both of your legs are severely burned Raad. You won’t be able to walk for seasons to come,” the aid said.

“Damn you. I can. Walk perfectly,” Raad said.

“If you can walk perfectly then I walk as if I am a god,” the other aid said laughing.

“Kill me. Do it. Kill me. Now please,” Raad said.

“Sir, killing you would mean that I would have to be executed,” the aid said.

“Let me kill. Myself. Please,” Raad said.

“Why?” the medic aid.

“I do not want. To live like this,” Raad said.

“I’m sorry it’s against my religion and against the law of Aczen,” the aid said.

“Give me the knife. Please sir, please,” Raad said.

The other aid handed him an operation knife. Raad took it and pointed the sharp end over his heart. As elegantly as he flew into the fire, he fell with the same amount of grace to the sandstone floor. The knife pierced his heart and filled him with the satisfaction of death. The scribe arrived and accidentally stepped onto Raad.

“Sir, your belongings. To whom shall be passed to,” the scribe said.

“The emperor of Aczen and my the men under my rank,” Raad said as his voice faded away.

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]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1087/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-nine/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Eighthttps://milfordscarlet.com/1089/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-eight/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1089/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-eight/#respondMon, 07 May 2018 16:35:47 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1089“You told me, he was never going to show up again! What is going on?!” Kha’em said.

“Well the priest told me he’d take care of him Kha’em, I can’t do anything. I left him in the desert, I did my job and he should’ve done his,” Akela said.

“Well what can we do? I mean we have to do something, the war is more concerning than this,” he said.

“Go to the dungeon, find him and ask him about his childhood. If he doesn’t remember then that means the priest did his job, if does remember then I have a problem to deal with when nightfall arrives,” she said.

“Then what?” he said.

“Tell the headmaster at the dungeon to execute him in whatever way he pleases,” She said.

“Great idea, what about Tabia?” he asked.

“Send her back to the front lines in the northeastern district. If she refuses deem it treason and have the headmaster execute her as well. Again as he pleases,” she said.

Kha’em walked through the side door and appeared in his throne room. He casually walked to his throne and sat down. Akela walked by him and joined the children on the mat. The guards stand down from the children. Two stay by Kha’em’s side, another two by the entrance, and the last one patrolled up and down the aisle.

Tabia quickly ran down the long spiral in the Palace almost bumping into several nobles of the house, who were kind enough to advise her to slow down. Suddenly she stood in front of a hallway dimly lit with dying torches. A foul stench crept into her nose and was as painful as breathing in the vacuum of space. There were iron cell bars to her right and she peeked into each one until she found Ozier in the ninth cell. Tabia got on one knee and Ozier sat up against the cell bar frame.

“Hey,” she said.

“I thought I’d never get to see you again before I’d die here,” he said with excitement.

“Well here I am Ozier,” she said, “I’m getting you out of here.”

A shirtless man wearing leather and hide pants approached Tabia whilst she was jiggering at the lock with a dagger. Tabia and Ozier didn’t notice him witnessing them attempting to escape. The man carefully and silently drew his sword from his holster.

“You better give me a good reason why you’re letting that Idman scout out of his cell… General,” the man said.

Tabia turned around and looked at the man quickly out of terror. Ozier crawled in the corner of his cell in fear of the man.

“I need to interrogate him watchman, apologies,” she said.

“Why didn’t you ask me to get him for you?” The watchman question, “ not only that. Why don’t you just question him now instead of trying to break one of my locks?”

“Listen, let me free him., please.” she said.

“The emperor has summoned his death. In fact he has scheduled an interrogation and is bound to appear momentarily,” the watchman.

“When will he be executed?” she asked.

“The break of dawn or when the emperor awakens from his slumber.” he said.

“Understood,” she said.

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]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1089/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-eight/feed/0The Plagued Oasis: Part Sevenhttps://milfordscarlet.com/1083/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-seven/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1083/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-seven/#respondThu, 03 May 2018 18:12:55 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1083Akela was sewing a piece cloth to a hat. She laid on a silk mattress next to the throne with Kha’em’s fraternal twin children. Guards to his left and right stood honorably. The throne room was full of pedestals. Each pedestal held a weapon or an artifact passed down from elders. Kha’em sat in his throne contemplating watching the tall doors that nearly touched the ceiling. Suddenly they opened. Tabia hastily walked to Kha’em’s throne. She kneels before him.

“Report?” Kha’em questioned.

“Aye sir, my army and I were spied on by Aufaa’s scouts. My men disarmed them and captured them. One of them a harmless orphan. The other was Aufaa’s first born. He is now dead. According to Idma religion, the father’s consciousness reincarnates passed down to their first born boy. And the mother’s consciousness reincarnates in her first born girl. Now, if their child dies then they cannot be reincarnated.”

“Damn it! Why did you let this happen? You’re one of the best!” Kha’em said, “We have broken the temporary peace agreement, Tabia do you know what this means?! Aczen’s arms go to the Idma empire.”

“Sir, that can’t happen. My men won’t betray Aczen they’ve been raised since birth pledge loyalty to their birthland, the same as I,” she said.

“Aye, and not only that if we don’t Aczen will have a war on three fronts,” Kha’em said.

“Hasn’t it always been that way sir?” She asked.

“Aczen had three enemies and those enemies were enemies with themselves,” he said, “The agreement said that if one betrays the agreement all other empires will join as one. They will be at our door step to claim our arms, and if our arms are unwilling to hand themselves in then war will pillage through our streets. More importantly the Oasis.”

“Sir, what are you saying?” She said with fearful tone of voice.

“Nothing at all Tabia, I am just speaking what my mind is telling me,” he said, “But the other scout, the orphan where is he now?”

“He is outside the throne room waiting, I was going to get to that eventually, I just wanted to know what we were going to do with our more dangerous situation,” she said.

“Bring him before me!! Guards!! With Haste!!” Kha’em yelled.

Ozier was escorted by the two guards. They carried him by his elbows, making him hang slightly, and drag across the throne room floor. Stopping in front of the steps to the throne, Akela looked up from her knitting and was in shock. She let the hat she was working on fall. Her jaw dropped, her hands were trembling, and there was a nervous twitch in her eye. Kha’em’s eyes squinted slightly.

“You look familiar. Haven’t I seen you before?” Kha’em questioned.

“It can’t be…” Akela said under her breath.

Suddenly all the attention was drawn to her. Kha’em looked at her hoping there would be an answer.

“You’re the baker aren’t you?!” She said enthusiastically, “From my home village? Well why are you affiliated with this talk of Idman scouts friend?”

“Darling, I told you to stay out of Aczen’s business,” Kha’em said.

“Don’t you darling me, I can hear what I want to hear. That’s why the divine creator gave me ears!!” She began yelling.

“Calm yourself please my love,” Kha’em said.

“I am Ozier, I am nothing but a desert wanderer. I don’t remember anything from my past, it is as if I born weeks ago,” he said.

“Pleasure to meet you, but it is unfortunate that you are apart of another empire. I regret to say this but, Ozier. You are to be executed at dawn,” Kha’em said, “You will possibly be salted or I might leave it up to the torturer.”

Tabia looked at Kha’em with a fiery rage in her eye. Ozier looked down at the throne room floor. Akela took notice of the faces around the room.

“Sir, but he could help us in the northwestern front,” Tabia said.

“No. Tabia he is an Idman. He shall be punished as so,” Kha’em said.

“As long as it is painless and rather fast, I have no problem, sir,” Ozier said.

“It will not be quick and painless but slow and torturing,” Kha’em said. “You will be experiencing the most pain, agony has to offer. You traitor.”

“So be it, Emperor,” Ozier said.

“Guards! Send our visitor here to the dungeon!” Two guards approached behind Ozier, grabbed him by the elbows again, and dragged him out of the throne room.

“Sir, he was a valuable asset. At least let me interrogate him for information,” she said.

“You may, but only at dusk,” Kha’em said.

Tabia saluted by hitting her chest with her right fist, walked out of the throne room, and shut the large doors behind her. Kha’em got up from his throne and took a side door exit in the corner of the throne room. Akela followed hastily. The fraternal twins stayed, played with their toys, and was guarded by five heavily armored men.

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]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1083/a-hawks-tale/the-plagued-oasis-part-seven/feed/0‘The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories’ Reviewhttps://milfordscarlet.com/1081/opinions/the-snows-of-kilimanjaro-and-other-stories-review/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1081/opinions/the-snows-of-kilimanjaro-and-other-stories-review/#respondMon, 30 Apr 2018 14:26:54 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1081The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories, by Ernest Hemingway, is a collection of ten short stories.

Aside from The Snows of Kilimanjaro, which deals with a fictional writer ruminating over his wasted potential, there’s A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, where two waiters, one more sympathetic than the other, watch an old man drink; Fifty Grand, where a boxer past his prime enters the ring because he has to; and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, where the titular character tries to regain some sense of masculinity after an embarrassing encounter with a lion in Africa. Six more stories lie within; all of them have Hemingway’s main themes and writing style.

I thought that this collection had a good mix of short stories. The Killers was perhaps the most exciting due to the sharp dialogue and directness of the assassins. The story gained extra heft once plot points, such as the target’s acceptance of his fate and the owner declining to call the police, were considered. Another exciting read was The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, which had great pacing, something The Snows of Kilimanjaro struggled with, and plot. The story I enjoyed the least was Fathers and Sons. It confused me. Perhaps the deeper meaning didn’t get to me, or perhaps I was too tired to read the text correctly, but this story, which essentially consists of Nick Adams reflecting upon his youth, didn’t impact me in the way the others did. It just didn’t.

In comparison to Hemingway’s other short stories, the ones presented in this collection read the same; in terms of style and subject matter his books do too. I’d recommend Barn Burning, a short story by William Faulkner, for those who dislike Hemingway or those wanting to read something written in a dramatically different style whilst marching through the short, elliptical sentences provided in this collection. Overall, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other

]]>https://milfordscarlet.com/1081/opinions/the-snows-of-kilimanjaro-and-other-stories-review/feed/0Limbohttps://milfordscarlet.com/1079/a-hawks-tale/limbo/
https://milfordscarlet.com/1079/a-hawks-tale/limbo/#commentsMon, 30 Apr 2018 14:18:56 +0000http://milfordscarlet.com/?p=1079 He hums softly to the heat inside his mouth. Drawing in a breath and holding it in, letting it go after teasing his lungs – what goes in red comes out white.

Around him, the city is burning, but the air is crisp where he stands. He leans a little into the streetlight and presses his arm up against its metallic coolness. There’s a small payphone mounted on a wall across the street begging for love. Our man toys with a Zippo in his free hand. The etched name lays face down on his palm – ROSCOE. He flicks it open and starts a small fire. It burns orange – blood orange. It burns white like a Sunday. He feels like god, but the moment is quick, and it passes.

A sudden bang from down the road. All at once, the man turns his head towards a woman on the sidewalk. Her body is shaking with anger. She throws her weight against the door. She rattles the doorknob and yells obscene threats. Then, she starts to cry. Her whole body sobs, sucks in air, throws out a miserable cry. The man gulps and feels around his neck, trying to knead out the whiplash.

A pigeon warbles on the electric line above the man’s head. It quiets and flies away at the sound of a window sliding open. A boy’s face appears in the window. His hair is an oil-black smudge. His nose – short, upturned – demands attention. The man is obedient – he can’t look away. A gust of wind blows the boy’s hair awry, and the edges of his jaw turn watery. The boy reaches a thin arm out of the window into the night sky. His fingers are curled into a tight fist. He waits for the wind to die down. He draws his hand back into his body and kisses his fingers. With agonizing slowness, he relaxes his fingers. A gray dust rains from his hands.

Ashes.

The man’s heart jumps. A shopping cart rattles behind him on the street. A tall, thin man drives the silver cart. His body is bent into a question mark. He looks at the crouched figure with bewildered eyes. The caricature of a man is animated with fear. His mouth gapes, but he makes no sounds. He dances from foot to foot and then freezes. He turns his face to the street.

The woman chokes out in relief when the door opens. Her husband steps out onto the concrete doorsteps and picks the woman up by the shoulders. He shakes her and yells at her face until her laughter dies out and her body collapses into his. He squeezes the limp frame tightly and brings her into the apartment. The man observes this incident without breathing. He looks away sharply when the Zippo lodged between the other man’s thumb and index finger glints.

A familiar sound catches our man’s ears. The fruity voice of a woman reverberates out of the little boy’s room.

“My son, my son, come to bed.”

The man closes his eyes, and the sound becomes a woman, stout and firm, darkened by age, an amaryllis stuck behind her ear. Mom. He reaches out.

The boy slams the window shut and the sound dissipates.

The man, apprehensive now, stands up and shakes out his legs. The old man straightens out his back and shakes out his legs, too, mimicking the younger man. They stare at each other. The young man cackles, and the older man erupts into a fit of laughter. He bends low. His figure bends into a question mark again, straightens into an exclamation point.

The upper right corner of his lip doesn’t laugh with the rest of his mouth.

His face is full of seams, shadows. Our man, not yet a husband, not yet crippled by war, delivers a blow across the older man’s face and watches him fall silently to the ground.

The night falls silent, but our man is uneasy. He’s itching. He strolls to the streetlight and kicks it. He bites his fist. He grunts and charges across the street to the payphone.

He slams his head into the receiver and sinks to the ground, his mouth stretched into a hysterical scowl – all but the upper right corner.

The man pulls a cigarette from his jacket and rests it between his teeth to go looking for his lighter. As he fishes, something seeps into the white uniform of the cigarette. Blood dribbles from his mouth onto his chin. What goes in white comes out red.